Inclined-railway safety car



1952 G. s. JENKINS ET AL INCLINED-RAIIQWAY SAFETY CAR Filed Aug. 20, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 1 'G. s. JENKINS ET AL INCLINED-RAILWAY SAFETY CAR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1949 l at ented Nov.

INCIiINED-RAILWAY SAFETY GAR Gerald S. Jenkins and Clifford onway, Hans,

111., assignars, by inesn assignments, to said Jenkins Application August "20, 1949, Serial No. 111,432

This invention relates to inclined-railway safety cars, and with regard to certain more specific features, to gravity-operated, cable-controlled man-trip or pilot cars for use in mines and the like.

Some mines have entry tunnels which slope on the order of 15 or so, incorporating track for gravity-operated, cable-controlled cars, instead of vertical shafts having elevators. The operation of the cars is elfected by a cable controlled from a power sheave near the tunnel mouth and operated by a suitable prime mover. There exists in such cases a possibility of a cable breaking with consequent runaway. Moreover in the case of man-trip cars, men may fall from them. In these events and others, it is desirable to employ a car having safety and braking features improved over those heretofore employed for the purpose. v

Briefly, the present invention provides the desired safety features on a truck carrying a body having a side seating arrangement so that when operated upon an incline the seats are horizontal, and having a stepped arrangement with a boarding rail beneath the stepped seats. Ineluded are foldable stretcher rests for stretcher cases when they occur. The car carries a ;set of batteries. An axle of the car drives a generator for charging the battery. The circuit is arranged so that the generator charges only on the down trip. Front and rear headlamps are automatically operable respectively on the down and up trips. One of the axles of the car also drives a centrifugal governor controlling an electric circuit from the battery to a magnetic track brake. If the car overspeeds, the governor causes a track brake to be set and thereafter it remains set even though the governor again slows down from its brake tripping speed. There is also provision for manually setting the track brake independently of the governor. The circuit is also so arranged that when the track brake sets, an audible warning device automatically goes into action and both of the up and down headlights are lighted.

This is designed to facilitate the dispatching of help to any car in connection with which an emergency has occurred. Otherfeatures will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one 2 claims. (01. 188-465) 2 of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our new car on a 15 incline, parts being'broken away to illustrate certain features;

Fig. 2 is a right-hand elevation viewed on a level with the supporting rails;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of certain truck parts which support the body, and exposing certain safety features;

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line i i of Fig. 3; and.

Fig. 5 is a mechanical and wiring diagram.

Similar reference, characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings Referring now to the drawings, numeral 1 shows the usual rails in a tunnel at, say, 15 slope. At 3 are shown axles supported by wheels 5 carried on the rail. A truck frame or bed is shown generally at 1, this being carried upon the axles 3 by means of spring-supported bolsters 9. The bed I carries a body indicated generally at II, which includes a stepped arrangement of side seats :3 above running boards l5. End handrails ll are provided with central longitudinal handrails 19. A lower central stretcher crossrail 2| serves in connection with endwise stretcher crossrails 23 to support stretchers horizontally when the caris on a slope. The stretcher rails 23 are carried on swivels 25 so thatthey may befolded inward when not required as shown by solid lines in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 they are shown outward. An exemplary stretcher position when rails 23 are out isillustrated by dotted lines 2 in Figs. l and 2. The car carries end coupling means 21 for attachment to other cars or the control cable already mentioned.

At 29 is shown a countershaft on the bed 1 and driven by a sprocket and chain drive ,3I from one of the axles 3, guide sprockets 33 being employed in this connection. It will be understood that other forms of drive may be used at this point, such as a geardrive. The shaft 29 is coupled through a chain drive 35 with a generator 31. It is also connected through a; chain drive 39 with the rotor of a pluggingswitch 4|, the function of which will appear. This countershaft ls also connected through a chain drive 43 with the driving member 45 of a centrifugal governor 41. The governor is illustrated as being of the flyball type, but it will be understood that other types of centrifugal governors may be used.

At numerals 49 are shown electromagnetic track brak e shoes which are spring-suspended by springs 5| from crossbars 53 attached to the frame I. Additional crossbars 55 have vertical tongues 51 which engage with grooves 59 in the ends of the track brake. These tongues act as vertical guides for the motion of these brakes. The brakes are suspended in the planes of the rails and when electrically energized are inductively and magnetically drawn to the rails for sliding contact with consequent braking action through the bars 55 to the car as a whole. A General Electric type ES-109E-ll track brake is satisfactory for the purpose.

One of the chief advantages of an electric type brake is that the braking effort is independent of car weights and is available in addition to any other braking. Brakes applying their efiect through the wheels are often inadequate because of inadequate friction allowing wheels to slip or slide on a grade. The brake as presently used exerts a braking eficrt of approximately 8000 pounds.

At numeral tI is shown a battery, which is mounted in the frame bed I at an angle to the rails which is about one-half of the angle of the rails to the horizontal, so that the liquid of these batteries (if of the wet type) will not spill either when the car is on the level or operative at maximum track angle.

At numeral 63 are shown the down headlights and at 65 the up headlights. Numeral 61 illustrates an audible warning device such as an electric horn or siren.

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram wherein the battery SI has leads 59 and II. Lead 69 connects with the generator 31. The other side of the generator has a connection i3 through a charging control relay and reverse current protector T5 of the usual type. Line I3 may be connected with H via the plugging switch M and wire 11, contact 8'! when closed, and wires I9 and BI. The plugging switch 4| is of a standard variety such as, for example, GE-CR 2962. Such a switch has a rotary magnetic core such as 83, which effects a drag in a surrounding member 85 carrying a movable switch contact 31. The member 03 in the present case is driven from one of the axles 3 through the train SI, 29, 39, as already made clear. Generator 3'! operates properly only in one direction. This should occur when the car descends. The plugging switch 4| is arranged so that the rotation of the driving axle 3 under T such conditions will result in closing contacts 81, 89. This connects the generator with the battery, through connections I3, TI, 89, 81, 19, 85, H and 69. When drawn up-grade, the contact 89 of switch M is broken and a second reverse-operating contact 9| is closed for purposes which will appear. The wire 8| has connections 93 and 95 through a contact switch 91 and the coil of a relay switch 99. Switch 91 is closed when the speed-responsive member IOI of the governor 4! reaches a predetermined position in response to increase in speed of the car. When this switch closes, current passes from the battery SI via ll, SI, 93, 91, 95, 99 and back to the otherlead 59 of the battery Via wires I03, I05. This closes a double-break switch I0! connected across the battery lines 69, H via wires I09, III, H3, H6 and HS and connected apparatus to be described. It also closes a switch H5 in a holding circuit iil which, through a release switch H9, wires 93 and BI, forms a return to the line 7!. Therefore, after the governor-operated switch 9'! once closes, it may return to open position without deenergizing coil 99.

When the double-break switch I01 closes. three 4 things happen. First, an audible warning is given by the horn 61, which is connected by wires I2I to wires H3 and H6. Second, the track brakes 49 are energized, which are connected by wires I23. Third, a relay switch I25 is energized over wires I21. Switch I25 closes two sets of contacts I29 in lines ISI and I39, respectively, the other side of the switch being connected through line I35 with side II of the battery circuit 69. The headlamps 63 and 95 are connected via line I05 with the other side of the battery circuit and with the respective lines I3I, I33. Thus whenever the car and the governor 61 driven thereby overspeed, the audible Warning device 61, the track brakes 49, the down headlights 53 and the up headlights 65 are all energized. This stops the car with all signals given and all of these devices remain energized until a release switch I I9 in the holding circuit I I1, 93 is opened manually. Provision is also made for energizing the coil 99 and holding circuit independently of the governor-operated switch 9i. This is done by means of a by-pass circuit H39 in which are parallel emergency switches MI. Emergency ropes M3, strung along the car, permit any man on it to make an emergency stop by operating either or both switches Mi.

The down headlights 63 are closed across the battery lines 69, H when the downward movement of the car moves the plugging switch ii to close contacts 89 (see 8|, l9, 8?, 89, I95). This is at the same time that the generator is plugged by this switch M in across the same lines 69 and II. When the car is drawn up the grade, the contacts SI of the plugging switch H are closed, whereupon only the up headlights 65 are placed across the lines 89, ll via connections 81, 19, 9|, I45, I46, 505. It will be understood the plugging switch 5| automatically seeks a neutral position when the car is stationary, thus cutting off the generator 3? and both sets of headlights 63 and 65, unless the car has been brought to a stop after overspeeding. In the latter event, the headlights do not go out, since they are energized along with the devices 6'6 and 39, via relay switch I25, I29.

Operation is as follows, assuming a car to be descending:

The generator 31 is driven in its charging direction and the plugging switch M is driven to close contacts 89. This connects the generator with the battery. Closure of switch 09 also connects the down headlights 63 only across the battery. If the car overspeeds, the governor t? closes switch 91, thus closing the holding switch H5 and the double-break switch I01. The latter energizes from the battery the brakes t9, horn 6? and relay I 25, the latter resulting in the energization of both sets of headlights 63 and 65. The sound and light warnings are designed to bring help.

Or, if without overspeeding an emergency occurs, such, as, for example, a man falling from the car, either one of the emergency switches MI may be closed from one of the ropes I43, which has the same effect as for an emergency stop, the switch 97 being by-passed via lines I39. If a man has been injured and becomes a stretcher case, his stretcher may be laid across the supports 2I and 23, being then horizontal.

When the car is drawn lip-grade, the generator 31 turns in the wrong direction to be connected for current supply to the battery. Under this condition, it is cut 01? from the battery by reverse rotation of the plugging switch AI and opening of the contacts 89. Closure of contacts 9| connects the up headlight 65 only.

Among the advantages of the invention is the automatic application of a reliable type of brake upon overspeeding with the holding circuit to prevent automatic release when the car slows to a proper speed or stop. Moreover, the governor action may be overridden manually for emergency stops. Coupled with this is the means for selectively cutting in the down headlights and the generator upon down-grade movement, and cutting oiT the generator and selectively lighting the up headlights upon up-grade movement. The selective lighting action of the headlights is overridden by a control therefor lighting both of them in coordination with the application of the brakes and sounding of the warning device.

A particular advantage of lighting the up headlight under emergency stop conditions is that such a stop usually results in paying out too much cable from the sheave, which forms slack. The lighted up headlight in connection with the audible warning signal provides means for signalling the hoisting engineer that the slack has not been taken out of this cable. A signal that this has occurred can be given by a man at the car through operation of the release switch I37.

While it is intended that the operation of the generator 37 upon down-grade car movement shall be suflicient to maintain a charge in the battery 6|, it will be understood that these batteries may in addition be plugged in at suitable current sources along the track for charging purposes.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. On an inclined-railway car, an electric brake, a battery for energizing the brake, a normally open switching circuit for connecting the battery to energize the brake, a switch for closing said switching circuit, a car-speed-responsive governor adapted to close said switch above a predetermined car speed, a holding circuit energized by said switch to maintain the switching circuit continuously to energize the brake beneath said predetermined car speed, and at least one manually operable switch connected across the governor-operated switch for independently energizing the switching circuit.

2. On an inclined-railway car, an electric brake, a battery for energizing the brake, a normally open switching circuit for connecting the battery to energize the brake, a governor-operated switch for closing said switching circuit, a car-speed-responsive governor adapted to close said switch above a predetermined car speed, a holding circuit energized by said switch to maintain the switching circuit continuously to energize the brake beneath said predetermined car speed, at least one manually operable switch con nected across the governor-operated switch for independently energizing the switching circuit, and an additional manually operable brake releasing switch in series with the governor switch.

GERALD S. JENKINS. CLIFFORD C. CONWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 257,403 Starr May 2, 1882 1,183,677 Sanborn et al May 16, 1916 1,298,032 Furlow Mar. 25, 1919 2,035,047 Cotter Mar. 24, 1936 2,103,706 Bone Dec.'28, 1937 2,124,125 Schoepf et a1. July 19, 1938 2,307,151 Moore Jan. 5, 1943 2,468,199 Hines Apr. 26, 1949 

